


A Second Spring

by Waterfall



Category: Elfquest
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 18:43:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5467070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waterfall/pseuds/Waterfall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before he became Redlance he was Redmark, a young member of Bearclaw's tribe. This is part of his story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Second Spring

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madamebadger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamebadger/gifts).



> **Title:** A Second Spring  
>  **Fandom:** Elfquest  
>  **Characters:** Redlance (Redmark), Skywise, Cutter, and Nightfall  
>  **Word count:** 1374  
>  **Rating:** GA  
>  **Disclaimer:** The characters and situations portrayed here are not mine, they belong to Wendy and Richard Pini, and at the moment also to _Dark Horse Graphics_. This is a fan authored work and no profit is being made. Please do not archive this story without my permission.  
>  **Author’s Notes:** Hello madamebadger! Here's your fic, I really hope you like it! Thank you for your prompt, it gave me a lot to play with. I especially noticed how you talked about Skywise, Redlance, and Nightfall, and I started thinking about how there's a good bit of information about Skywise, Nightfall, and Cutter during Bearclaw's time – but not about Redlance. So I just went on from there, really, trying to figure out what he might have been like. It's more about his character and relationships than about his magic though, I hope that's ok!
> 
> The title is part of a quote from Albert Camus; "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

A wolfrider's life is fast-paced, full and fierce, and often short. Young as he is, Redmark has always known this. It is evident throughout the forest, in the endless cycle of life and death that sustains them all. The plants are as much a part of it as the animals, and the Wolfriders are as well. Before the humans came, he had always thought that any death, no matter how senseless, at least had a purpose to it. After their arrival, he learned differently. Woodhue – One-Eye, now – Crescent, Shale and Eyes High. Even little Skywise can't take away the pain of loss, or outweigh the humans' love for destruction. Redmark has never liked the pain of killing, but to drive away the humans he will revel in it.

Although, truth be told, he's glad he doesn't have to. 

When the humans leave, life settles back into its old ways. Death is replaced by joy – a chieftain's cub at last, and a lively one at that. Skywise is delighted to have a friend close to his own age, and after having saved Cutter's life at its very beginning the older cub doesn't leave his side for several days. It's an excellent reason to celebrate, and the Holt rings out with music and laughter as the Wolfriders get to know the newest member of their tribe. Redmark loves looking at the small boy, encouraging his smiles and laughter. He makes toys from twigs, leaves and grass, and watches smiling as Cutter breaks them. 

The seasons pass, and another cub is born into the tribe. Redmark looks forward to welcoming another lively wolf-child, and happily joins in the waiting. The first time he sees her she's howling lustily, her little fists waving in the air and her autumn-coloured tuft of hair already curling around her eyes. Her mother holds her tight, grinning fiercely, and her father can't take his eyes off her. It's clear that despite her scrunched-up face they think she's the prettiest thing they've ever seen. They name her Nightfall, and in Redmark's mind the name conjures a vision of the setting sun. He thinks it suits her perfectly. Her spirit shines bright and fierce within her, a fire that seems to warm him from within. When he reaches out to her she grabs his finger and doesn't let go, even when he tugs at it. Bearclaw laughs and calls her a fighter, and he agrees.

As Nightfall grows, so does her fire. She plays rough-and-tumble with Cutter and the wolf cubs (and sometimes Skywise, when he doesn't feel too old and important to join in), and spends a period attacking the legs of any adult in sight. Her parents scold her mildly, smiles carefully hidden. Bearclaw dangles her upside down to shrieks of delight, while Joyleaf sets her challenging tasks like fetching Moonshade's tanning pouch for her in the fastest time possible, or seeing how carefully she can carry water to the Father Tree. Redmark just dances away, always only a little out of reach, always protesting but never meaning it. Sometimes she gets mad, but mostly she laughs.

Eventually Cutter and Nightfall start playing different games. And although they enjoy learning from each other, they don't always want the same things.  
"He's always so _serious_!" Nightfall complains to Redmark one night. "It's like he needs to know _everything_ , like he can't ever just do something because it's fun and it feels good!"  
"He's a very serious person," Redmark agrees mildly. She huffs and leans back on her arms, looking up at the sky.  
"Well, then he needs to lighten up sometimes! Or else he's just going to worry all the time, and no-one wants a chief who's always worried!"  
Chuckling, he bumps her shoulder gently with his own.  
"Now who's the one who's worrying?"  
She glares at him with hunter's eyes, and he tries unsuccessfully to hide his smile. Growling, she pokes his leg with her foot before giving in and laughing.  
"That just proves my point! No-one can be only one thing – if I can want to have fun and still worry about him, then he can be serious and still do things just to play."  
"You're right," Redmark agrees. "And you're wise to realise that, but Cutter may not yet be as wise as you."  
Nightfall giggles, and nods.  
"Then I'll just have to make sure he doesn't become too serious, won't I?"  
"You may have to, at that." He smiles again at her determined look, and adds teasingly. "You know, one day you'll want to be serious too."  
Emphatically, she shakes her head, her curls dancing in front of her face.  
"Not yet I won't! Not for seasons and seasons – it's just too much trouble!"  
"If you say so."  
He leans back into the grass and stares at the leafy roof above them. She crosses her legs and rests her elbows on her knees, thinking. After a while she gets up and gives his leg a final prod with her foot, grinning at him when he looks at her. He grins back, recognising a thank-you when he sees one. Then she's off, to adventures unknown.

The seasons turn, flowers following snow following leaf-fall. The cubs grow, learn, fight, play. Skywise sometimes leads and sometimes follows Cutter on his wild escapades; one the voice of pragmatism, the other the voice of reason. Nightfall follows them both without fear, making sure that her best friend Cutter stops worrying enough to have fun from time to time. When she's not with her playmates or her family Redmark finds himself in her company, more and more often. However, instead of talking to him as she used to, she now follows him around like a fiery shadow. He patiently decides to wait until she comes to tell him what she wants, but even his patience has a limit.

One evening he sets out from the Holt on his own, wandering with no destination in mind. The grass whispers secrets when his feet brush past, and every tree hums a song of its own. His plant-shaping, a magic that he has long anticipated but never quite dared to long for, is waking within him at last. So caught up is he that it takes a while before he notices that he once again has a hidden follower.  
*You could just come and talk to me,* he tells her, a little annoyed that she's invited herself along to his discovery of himself without asking first.  
*Redmark!* She startles, and disappears from his view for a moment before giving up and coming over to join him. *I… didn't want to disturb you.*  
He senses the truth in her sending, and can't help but smile at her.  
*You've become very considerate these last moons, then.*  
*Oh – you've noticed, then?*  
When her face reddens he finally understands, and his smile turns gentler.  
*I have. Do you want to tell me what this is about, little huntress?*  
The teasing turns her blush into a glare, before her expression also softens. Stepping closer, she brushes up against him.  
*Do you remember how I only wanted to be lovemates with Cutter for play?*  
*I do.*  
He doesn't move away and, encouraged, she takes his hand and weaves her fingers with his. They stare at each other, and he sees the burning spirit in her eyes, unafraid of making a leap into the unknown.  
*I've changed my mind.* She places her other hand on his chest, and he reaches up to cup her face, stroking his thumb over her cheek. *I _do_ want to be serious. At least for a little while.*  
Underneath the joy he feels at her words the song of the forest still hums through him, telling him without hesitation that here, now, they are a part of it. He lets go of her hand and embraces her, touching his forehead to hers.  
*I don't mind being serious from time to time.*  
*Good.* Ever the hunter, she wastes no time before she pounces, tackling him to the ground. They fall into the grass amidst shouts of laughter, and he breathes in the scent of her as she adds, *Let's not start just yet, though.*  
He sees no reason not to agree.

**Author's Note:**

> Phew! That certainly turned out a bit differently than I expected. I had a lot of fun writing it, although it was really hard trying to remember to call him Redmark all the time. :D


End file.
